In the $500Bil Business-to-Small-Business (B2SMB) marketspace, the fragmentation represented by 8Mil+ SMB “snowflakes” is overwhelming. But the challenges in reaching, engaging, selling, keeping and growing those SMB customers are surprisingly consistent. The challenges I see and hear every day from our B2SMB Institute Members are:
- increasingly unsustainable SMB customer CPAs
- decreasingly effective media options
- lengthening sales cycles
- overwhelming & disruptive new competition
- growing cynicism & “unreachability” from SMBs
In a nutshell, it’s damned hard to win the toughest customers on Planet Earth – Small Businesses.
That’s why we launched the B2SMB Institute, a Member-driven organization serving the interests of companies who build, market, sell and support products and services targeted to those same Small Businesses.
Now arrives the advance agenda of the B2SMB Institute’s latest national event, the Leaders’ Forum, May 16-17 at Dogpatch Winery in San Francisco. It’s an event to share best B2SMB sales & marketing practices, to review fresh SMB research & insights, to meet fellow B2SMB Senior Leaders, and even to find new, relevant partnerships.
What can you expect when you attend the Leaders’ Forum?
Our early roster of speakers includes senior-level execs in B2SMB marketing, sales, operations and product development, from major B2SMB brands, sharing their insights, successes and challenges in a Ted-Talk-like setting. Leaders like:
- Michael Coscetta, Head of Global Sales for Square
- Laura Goldberg, CMO for LegalZoom
- Jill Nelson, Founder & CEO of Ruby Receptionists
- Carrie Jacobson, VP Tech & Services for Office Depot
- Christal Bemont, SVP & GM of Global SMB for Concur
- Clate Mask, CEO & Founder of Infusionsoft
- Plus Senior Leadership Execs from Google, Dell, Godaddy, G2 Crowd, Yext, Cisco, BambooHR, Marketstar, Alignable, Telmetrics, and more
Early committed Attendees range from C-Suite to Director-level Leaders – people whose job depends on winning/growing/keeping SMB customers; roles range from Marketing & Sales to Product Development to Delivery.
Early agenda content reflects the strategic and tactical demands B2SMB Leaders face – not just how to better reach/engage/qualify/close SMBs, but how to change the business relationship we have with SMBs.
Our mission at the B2SMB Institute is to help our Members succeed and thrive in the highly challenging Business-to-Small-Business marketplace. For those whose jobs depend on winning, keeping and growing Small Business customers, we deliver an invaluable resource for peer-to-peer networking, expert knowledge, and breakthrough research to improve business results AND enhance value delivered to SMB customers.
I welcome your input as we continuously improve our Leaders’ Forum content.
In the meantime, what have you done to help a Small Business today?
The B2SMB Institute champions Small-Business-centric thinking and practice that insures those who develop and deliver products & services to SMBs are successful. By focusing on what reaches, engages, wins, keeps and grows SMB customers, the Institute addresses the challenges our Members confront on a daily basis.
Our rapidly growing community is our foundation: from C-Suite to front lines, our Members include B2SMB Marketers, Brand Managers, Product Developers, Sales Leaders and Investors. The B2SMB Institute is a dynamic, year-round setting to find, meet and network with B2SMB decision-makers, all who share common needs, challenges, and goals.
